December 4, 2012

Travel Tuesday: 3 Romantic Destinations to Share with Your Significant Other

The very mention of a honeymoon rings with the promise of romance. Although my husband and I take many trips together I feel like, no other journey will hold the same significance as this vacation, our first trip as husband and wife. While we are not going to be able to go on a honeymoon I still did a little research of a few spots that would be fun and romantic in the United States to take a little trip for two.

Travel Tuesday: 3 Romantic Destinations to Share with Your Significant Other

Destination #1: The Berkshires

photo credit: destination360.com
photo credit: avg photo.com


Romance knows no limits in the Berkshires. No matter what season you visit, there's something wonderfully romantic to experience. Try these five things with your loved one:

1. Tanglewood. The Tanglewood Music Center, summer home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, hosts live concerts in July and August — your ears will love their harmonious sounds. Pack a picnic, grab a blanket and pop a squat under the stars for $15 while you let the BSO serenade you. Can it get any more romantic than that.

2. Blantyre. Some hotels just do romance right. Blantyre is the most romantic place to stay during the winter months. All year long you'll get rooms with fireplaces, footed tubs and grand four-poster beds, but in the winter, Blantyre really puts on the charm. The tennis courts turn into an outdoor ice skating rink, a fire pit roasts s'mores, the tall pine trees are adorned with lights, and if you're here during the Christmas holidays, you'll be privileged to a romantic horse and carriage ride throughout Blantyre's winter wonderland.

3. Hiking. The Berkshire mountains can be a romantic spot to rekindle the flames. Take a walk through Bish Bash Falls, where you'll happen upon romantic cliffs and waterfalls. The best time of year for a hike in Bish Bash Falls is fall, when all the colors are changing and you'll get the best of fall foliage as your romantic backdrop.

4. Norman Rockwell Museum. Few people painted the picturesque family scene quite like Norman Rockwell. There's something romantic about imagining life as portrayed in a Norman Rockwell painting, so a trip to his museum might be the perfect thing for your romantic getaway.

5. The Mount. Edith Wharton's Estate and Gardens is one of the Berkshires’ most elegant 

stops. The Mount was designed and built by Edith Wharton in 1902, based on the principles written in her book, The Decoration of Houses (1897). The Mount includes three acres of formal gardens designed by Wharton, and annual exhibits explore themes from the author’s life and work. It’s widely known as one of the most beautiful settings in the Berkshires, and a romantic day deserves a walk through these idyllic gardens.


Destination #2: Charleston
photo credit: westvirginia.watchdog.com



photo credit: avg photos

Stately centuries-old mansions, Spanish moss-draped trees, spooky cemeteries, cobblestone walks: in a word, Charleston. But this South Carolina city also boasts innovative restaurants, interesting shops, contemporary art galleries and the world-class Spoleto Festival USA. This is the place to experience the genteel South -- it was after all the home of suave Gone with the Wind character, Rhett Butler. And as you walk the gas lamp-lit streets at night, past horse-drawn carriages and the antebellum architecture, you just might think you’ve traveled back in time …Charleston sits on a peninsula where two rivers meet the Atlantic Ocean, and one of the best vistas across all that water is at Waterfront Park. Snuggle together on one of the swings at the pavilion or find a park bench in a shady spot to enjoy the gardens. The park is also a nice place to share a sunset or an early morning coffee.Just a block from Waterfront Park, take a leisurely stroll along Rainbow Row past this whimsical stretch of pastel-colored 18th-century homes. These restored structures once served as a shopping area where sea captains, traders, townsfolk, and pirates bartered and sold their goods. Today, it's a perfect place to have a friendly local take your photo.After a day of sightseeing, drop by the bar at McCrady's for a pre-Prohibition cocktail, classic southern drink, or house-infused spirits. This restored 1788 building, with its warm natural lighting, inviting wood and glass interior, and long walnut bar, provides an elegant yet relaxed setting for a quiet pre-dinner drink or a cozy hour of canoodling before retiring to your hotel.



Destination #3: Napa Valley
photo credit: etraveltips.com
photo credit: kitchenwrap.com

Napa Valley is considered one of the top wine growing regions in the world. The combination of Mediterranean climate, geography, and geology of the valley are conducive to growing quality wine grapes. The Napa Valley is located in Northern California, about 50 miles northeast of the San Francisco Bay Area and about 60 miles west of Sacramento. The Napa Valley is 30 miles long and 5 miles at its widest point. In 1968, Napa Valley vintners and others in the community had the foresight to preserve open space and prevent future over-development by enacting the nation's first Agriculture Preserve. The Charles Krug Winery, established in 1861, was Napa Valley's first commercial winery. The number of wineries grew rapidly until, by the end of the nineteenth century, more than 140 wineries had been established in the area. Some of those wineries still exist today including Beringer, Beaulieu, Mayacamas, Far Niente, and Chateau Montelena. By 1976, while Napa Valley was becoming famous locally for its high quality wines, France was still considered the undisputed wine champion. At the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, a Napa Valley Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena and a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars won first place over some of the most famous French labels in a blind tasting. The wine world took notice. Today, Napa Valley is accepted as one of the world's premier wine producing regions. According to the Napa Valley Visitor Profile Study, 4.7 million people visit Napa Valley each year. The relatively temperate California climate, beautiful scenery and large variety of activities all contribute to the popularity of this destination. Couples fly to this destination from all over. The top rated romantic hotel is Castillo de Amorosa ("the castle of love").
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkshires

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napa_Valley

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston,_South_Carolina

1 comment:

  1. Well, I never ever visited Napa valley but I heard from lots of peoples infect my friends visited there last month and I saw their photos which are really awesome. So I also want to visit there probably next month.
    Dubai tourism

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